Height-limit vote divides council

One opponent calls mayor's proposed change a 'bad idea'

PORTSMOUTH — In yet another early sign of divisiveness, the City Council voted Tuesday night to pass first reading of a proposal to eliminate a conditional-use permit allowing developers an opportunity to construct buildings taller than what is currently allowed under the city's zoning ordinance.

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By Charles McMahon

seacoastonline.com

By Charles McMahon

Posted Jan. 21, 2014 at 8:58 PM
Updated Jan 21, 2014 at 11:30 PM

By Charles McMahon

Posted Jan. 21, 2014 at 8:58 PM
Updated Jan 21, 2014 at 11:30 PM

» Social News

PORTSMOUTH — In yet another early sign of divisiveness, the City Council voted Tuesday night to pass first reading of a proposal to eliminate a conditional-use permit allowing developers an opportunity to construct buildings taller than what is currently allowed under the city's zoning ordinance.

After lengthy discussion, councilors voted 5-4 to pass first reading of the controversial proposal made by Mayor Bob Lister.

The proposal, which requires three readings and a public hearing, would eliminate a conditional-use permit enacted only months ago to enable developers to build beyond the city's current maximum height limit.

As it stands now, a developer can apply for a conditional-use permit that would allow for an increase in a building's height to 50 feet in the Central Business A district and 60 feet in the Central Business B district.

The city's current building height limit is 45 feet or three and a half stories in the Business A and Central Business B districts.

Lown first attempted to postpone the proposal until mid-March, saying he wanted the city to have time to work on form-based zoning.

“By putting it off for two months, I don't think the city is losing anything,” he said. “There's no harm in waiting.”

Lown's postponement attempt, however, failed by a vote of 5-4.

Following that, Lown said he considered the overall proposal to be reactionary.

“I think this is a bad idea,” he said. “This is a vote to reverse what this council deliberated about and spent quite a bit of time on just three months ago.”

Councilors voting against the proposal also cited the potential impact it may have on the recent “North End Project” proposed by HarborCorp LLC.

Spear said he was voting against first reading particularly because of how it would affect the major downtown project.

“I have a concern that if we change zoning laws now, especially in a hasty fashion, we might inadvertently throw a monkey wrench into their plans,” he said. “I think that would be a real loss for the city.”

Shaheen said she, too, was against the proposal because of how it may affect the HarborCorp project moving forward.

“This might make a disincentive to HarborCorp, and that makes me very nervous,” she said.